Reality Series
by Pagan Twylight
Summary: Three Short Stories Two of which give alternate endings to episodes. Story I - Leaving it in the Room, Story II - Hiding from the Truth, Story III - Forks in the Road - doesn't really pertain to any one episode but is a culmination of several.
1. Leaving it in the Room  Story I

_**Summary: **__Sam and Jack are retested to be sure whether or not they are za'tarcs. This is how the story truly ended. This is a __Sam/Martouf/Lantash Romance_ with a _Happy Ending_ unlike the original D&C which actually never happened (**It was a nightmare that Sam had)**. **_This is what actually happened._**  


_**Rating:** K+_

_**Pairing:** Sam/Martouf/Lantash_

_**"Italics" -**_ _Symbiote-Host communication_

* * *

_**Reality Series – Story I**_

**_Leaving it in the Room_**

* * *

They were going to retest Colonel O'Neill. Sam realized, just as she was about to slip into unconsciousness, why they had tested positive. She managed to make Janet understand and after administering something to help Sam remain awake; they had sprinted for the testing room. They arrived just in time to stop a disaster.

Freya asked the Colonel again what he was feeling when Sam was trapped on the wrong side of the force field. "I felt…like someone who was about to die."

Sam sent him an exasperated look as the red played on the za'tarc detector. He sighed. "I didn't leave—because I'd rather died myself than lose Carter."

Sam sent him an encouraging look. He stared back into her eyes.

Still not happy with the readings, Freya asked, abruptly, "Why?"

Colonel O'Neill frowned. Okay, here it went, two careers out the window, if someone wanted to make trouble for them, and it ever got out of this room. Damn those frat regs, anyway. He finally found the right word. Care. He cared more than he should as her commanding officer. "Because I care about her…a lot more than I am supposed to."

Sam looked at him with sympathy. No one would ever understand this. They would all take it all wrong. Most of them anyway. Except for Teal'c, Daniel, Janet, and General Hammond. And her dad, of course. He knew her feelings. She glanced down at the machine. The red around the blue in the za'tarc detector's screen was gone. It was all blue.

Freya nodded, saying easily, "You are not a za'tarc."

Sam was put through the same questions, and the results were the same. She was not a za'tarc, either. She stood from where she had been sitting to be retested for za'tarc programming. "Sir," she turned and faced Colonel O'Neill. "None of this has to leave this room."

Colonel O'Neill looked at her as if gauging her sincerity. He nodded seeing none of the emotions he was afraid he would see there on her face. He nodded, saying, "Then,  
we're okay with that?"

Sam nodded, "Yes, sir."

He looked at her one last time, delving, sharing one last look with her, before turning to greet Janet, as she entered the room.

* * *

Major Sam Carter—Samantha—sat by the infirmary bed and held his hand in hers, stroking his long elegant fingers, and praying to any and all Gods and Goddesses out there that they would help him to pull through. That they would keep death at bay yet one more time.

His face in repose was calm, peaceful…serene. If she had not known that he had a dozen or more bullet holes in him, and had been hit by a zat blast as well, she knew it would not have been easy to tell. Tok'Ra and Tau'ri alike were overwhelmed by the fact that not only had he survived the initial onslaught, but that he was still alive at all.

Of course, without the frantic, desperate, and innovative procedures they had used on him, between the Tok'Ra and the Tau'ri, he would not have been. And, he could still die and leave her here alone and bereft…so far, however, he had not done so, and as each hour passed, she became more tense, awaiting the coming of death—or life. For now, all she lived with was hope.

Jack stood quietly in the doorway, hour after hour, as he watched her. Daniel had gone in and sat with her. Teal'c. Jacob. Anise. Malek. Per'sus. Janet. Hammond. All of them had sat with her, supported her, and encouraged him to live, by talking to him softly. Jack knew that he had to go, too, and do what he could. But, that damn za'tarc thing had him feeling, well, embarrassed. It left him feeling vulnerable and unsure of himself. What to do? What to say? What comfort could he give, for heaven's sake?

He sighed. It didn't matter. If he didn't go, it would put stress on their already stressed relationship. How had this happened, and how had it all become so complicated? He didn't know and standing here asking questions that he couldn't answer wasn't helping her in her vigil by Martouf and Lantash's side. He had to go and he had to go now. He went.

He crossed the floor quietly and pulled up a chair. She made no move to greet him, but then, she rarely moved her eyes from Martouf's face. The only time she released his hand was when they had to do something to him and they made her let go of him. He saw the tracks of her tears and sighed. He was **_so _**not good at this.

He decided the direct approach would be best. Clearing his throat, he said, gruffly, "You love him."

"No," the monosyllable was monotone, with no inflection in it to tell him if there was more information coming.

He frowned. "I think you do, Carter…Sam. I think you have very deep feelings for him…a lot deeper than you're admitting."

He heard the soft sigh leave her, and her lashes fluttered, but her gaze never left their face. "Them, Colonel. I meant that I love them, not him. I am sorry. I realize you had no way of knowing what I was thinking."

"Ah." He cleared his throat again, "I see."

"Do you? Do you really? Don't you want to tell me that it is not me? That it is just Jolinar's feelings, and that they really don't mean anything to me?"

"I—I…well, I suppose that's—a—possibility?" He questioned.

She shook her head, slightly. "No, Colonel, it isn't. I have known for quite a while now that my own emotions had become involved with them. Yes, I still carry Jolinar's love of them, but now I have added my own too it. It is not a shadow of her love. It is the full ripeness of my own. It is the reason that the thought of them dying, now, and leaving me when I have only just admitted it to myself, and never had the chance," she shook her head, "or the courage…to tell them of it, is going to make me want to follow them, if they die."

"Don't talk that way, Carter. They, they wouldn't want you to feel that way."

"No. No, they would not want me to, but that doesn't mean that I will not follow them into death, since I did not listen to my heart and follow them during life."

Jack cleared his throat again. "Carter, I know this probably isn't the time, but, what about what we, you know, left in that room. That, those, feelings between us? What about those feelings, Sam?"

He watched her eyes fill with tears as she began to shake her head. "Those words were what the machine could understand, Colonel. It could not distinguish between love of the heart and love of a friend. We have become each other's family, sir. I think you know that, too."

"We told the truth. We **_do_** care more than we are supposed to. We are teammates; all the rules say that our closeness will endanger the team. We don't think it will, and we have proved over and over that it enhances our ability to get out of situations alive. If Daniel or Teal'c had been questioned in the same manner we were, they would have had to say the same thing about both of us. They care more for us than they should, and the emotions are reciprocated by us. It is just a fact of our lives."

Finally taking her eyes off the man lying in the bed, she looked at Jack. "I love you, Colonel, as a friend, a mentor, a family member." She turned back and again took up her vigil, gazing at the Tok'Ra in the bed. "I love them with my whole heart and being. I am in love with them as well as loving them. If they die, my heart and soul will go with them."

Jack nodded as he thought over his Major's words. She was right, of course. They flirted. There had been a physical attraction, occasionally. They cared about one another. And, that was the word they had both used, as well. They cared more than they were supposed to. They had not said they loved each other more than they were supposed to.

Suddenly, he felt much better about the scene in the room. It had bothered him that perhaps she cared more for him, in a romantic way, rather than in the friendship way he had meant. He felt relief. This…these emotions she felt and he felt, they were the reason they had both been comfortable with leaving it in the room. There was really nothing worth worrying about, and it could safely be left there.

It was time to give comfort. "Janet said they were able to patch him up, and something kept him from bleeding out, Carter. He's gonna make it. I am sure of it. I have every confidence in Marty and, er, Lantash. They won't leave you now that they know how you feel."

Sam shook her head yet again. "No, they don't know how I feel. I told you; I didn't tell them. I wish I had. I should have, but I didn't. They don't know how much I need and want them to survive. The only time I have told them was just now in the Gateroom, and they were unconscious."

Sam's eyes again filled with tears, so she was unaware when beautiful green eyes cracked open and looked at her. She felt the pressure of his fingers, though, when they squeezed hers very lightly. A very weak, dry, and raspy voice disagreed with her. "That is no longer true, my Samantha, for we have heard you, and we do now know. Colonel O'Neill is correct. Lantash and I will not leave you, now, if there is anyway in which we can survive this."

Sam was standing, now, leaning over him, brushing his hair back gently with the trembling fingers of one hand, while the other one remained clasping his hand. "I believe, from what Lantash has conveyed to me that it is his belief that we will remain with you. He is telling me, to tell you, that between the healing device being used during the surgery, Dr. Fraiser's timely intervention in closing the bullet holes, as well as, sealing the bleeders, and his own ability to begin healing me, once his shock wore off, he believes that we should be up and around before long."

As Sam leaned down and kissed him, she heard Janet's voice. Evidently, Jack had gone for her as soon as he realized that Martouf and Lantash were awake. "You will not be leaving, soon, Martouf, and you can tell Lantash that for me. He can just reconcile himself to being in the infirmary until I am satisfied that **_all _**of your wounds are well on their way to being as good as new."

"There were several organs that I had doubts about you being able to keep, luckily, none without which you could not survive. I have a feeling that it is a good thing that I decided to leave them for him to heal. Arwanna did agree at the time that once Lantash was out of shock, he would be able to save them. I am very glad he was able to do so."

"Now, are you and Lantash in a lot of pain? Arwanna and I came up with some things to help Lantash out, so that he will not have to expend so much energy keeping the pain blocked. She will be in shortly to explain to him what he needs to do. It is kind of an experimental thing we have decided to try, since it occurred to both of us that if he did not have to fight the pain for you both, then he could use his energy elsewhere. Whether or not it will work, well, that is the experiment part."

She smiled at him and squeezed his other hand. "I am really, really pleased to see you awake and aware, Martouf, but I also believe that you need more rest. I am sure you probably worked yourself into the ground in the days leading up to the summit, so, rest now."

Noticing the firm clasp he had on Sam's hand, she said quietly, just as Arwanna joined them. "I know you don't want to let go of Sam, but Arwanna and I both want to take a look at your wounds. So, how about if the Colonel takes her and gets her something to eat and drink before she comes back to spend the night with you? Don't worry, I am not about to try to get her to leave, as I already know she won't want to leave you alone. However, I will only agree to her staying in here with you, if you agree to allow her to rest and relax for a bit before she comes back. Deal or not?"

His eyes glowed brightly for a moment, and Lantash came fore. He looked at his Samantha, asking with his eyes what his voice could not say. She smiled at that, saying, "I probably should go eat, Lantash. I should be back shortly, but if you go to sleep before I return, that is okay. I will stay the night; so, don't worry about that, all right?"

"Yes, that will be fine, Samantha. I will see you shortly then." After accepting her kiss and giving her one in return, he looked at the Colonel before setting his lips in a wry smile. "You will care for her, if you please, Colonel O'Neill. She is very precious to us."

"Yup. I'll take care of her and see to it that she eats and drinks, all that good stuff. I imagine Daniel and Teal'c will join us."

"That is not necessary, Colonel, I trust you, and I believe that you will guard her well."

"I will. Come on, Carter. The sooner we go, the sooner they can check him over, the sooner we'll be back, and the sooner he will get better. Let's go."

Sam smiled a full smile, the first one she had given in many hours. "All right, sir." Turning back to her loves, she said softly. "I _will_ be back. Love you. Bye for now."

Jack O'Neill took her elbow to encourage her to leave the room. They saw Teal'c and Daniel approaching and waited for them.

She smiled at her teammates and turned to head for the commissary. She was leaving her heart-love in the room behind them—right where it belonged—with the men that dwelled within her heart. The men she truly loved.

The End


	2. Hiding from the Truth  Story II

**_Story Summary:_** _Selmak did not die of "old age" and Martouf and Lantash were never za'tarcs. What really happened after the replicators and most of the Goa'uld were finally defeated?_

**_Rating:_**_ PG-13_

**_Pairing:_**_ Sam/Martouf/Lantash_

**"Italics" -** _Symbiote-Host communication_

* * *

**_Reality Series - Story II_**

_**Hiding from the Truth**_

* * *

Jacob sat in the briefing room and stared at the wall. He was not happy about his little girl and the problems she was having. He did not care what she said; she was not happy with this Pete guy.

"_If she is not happy with him, then why is she marrying him?" _ Selmak cut to the center of the problem with laser clarity.

"_I am not sure, Sel, but I think she might believe she is in love with Jack O'Neill. Knowing, or believing, that she can't have him, I think she has talked herself into believing she loves this Pete-guy." _

_"You, however, do not believe she does so." _

_"No. No, I do not. I think he has a sense of humor and can make her laugh. I believe she feels comfortable around him; she doesn't feel threatened by him. She thinks that if she marries this Pete-guy, she won't have anything to worry about. She will be able to talk and think rings around him. He will never challenge her. At least, I think that is what she believes. Personally, I consider the fact that he ran a background check on her, and followed her on a covert op, to be the actions of a more controlling kind of guy than she realizes. He was stalking her for heaven's sake. Those are not the actions of an easygoing person. I will have to talk to her, but first I have to talk to Jack. He has to know where we all stand." _

_"I do not believe he will take kindly to your interference in his personal life." _

_"That's as may be, but I am going to interfere anyway. He can lump it if he does not like it." _

_"I will stand behind your opinion and your actions, Jacob. I am feeling much better as you know." _

_"Yeah, I do know. I still cannot believe that Thoran thought he could poison us and get away with it." _

_"He almost did, Jacob. Fortunately, even the council has been brought to realize that his actions would have caused the destruction of the entire galaxy had we failed to stop the replicators. I am glad that they executed him. I am sorry for his host, however. He was very distraught when he realized what Thoran managed to keep from him. It will take him quite some time to recover." _Selmak sighed, as he thought of the host who Thoran had traumatized so thoroughly. He hoped that his choosing to remain with the Tok'Ra would help him to recover. They would certainly do everything they could for him. Thoran had caused so very many, so much misery and pain; not perhaps, least of all Samantha Carter, if she was correct and Martouf and Lantash could have been saved, if they had only mounted a rescue right away. Thoran swayed the younger symbiotes to vote against going for them, convincing them that he was already dead. Selmak honestly did not believe they were…at that point in time. He still regretted that he had not listened to Jacob and Samantha and gone over the council's head to Per'sus, or better yet, simply gone himself to see if he could save them. He could not have, of course and he and Jacob would probably have died trying. Leaving his own thoughts, he tuned back into what Jacob was saying.

_"I know, and I feel bad about that, too, but Thoran could not be trusted. No one did any tampering with his mind, Sel. He simply did not want the Tau'ri-Tok'Ra alliance, and he worked for its destruction from the day he turned Korra into a za'tarc and tried to halt the original treaty from being signed." _

Jacob bit out his words as he continued,_ "Thank God, Lantash and Martouf were out of his range at the time, or he would have used them instead of Korra. Much though I hate that Korra was the one that he used, it would have been very much worse for Sam, if it had been Martouf and Lantash that she had to kill. It was hard enough on her when the Tok'Ra listed them as MIA and then as having died during a mission. Hell, they had only been seeing one another for less than a year. She has never forgiven the Tok'Ra for not mounting an immediate search and rescue as the Tau'ri would have done, I know that. She will not talk about it and when she found out about Thoran, she was very bitter. It is the only time she has spoken of them since they disappeared." _

_"I agree, Jacob; however, we should be thinking of leaving. Regretting the past will get us nowhere, nor will it help Samantha. There is little point of staying here, now. Malek, Anise, and Janet managed to find not only the poison being used on us, but also the antidote and we can now return to the tunnels. Do you not wish to do so? We have met Pete. There is nothing left here for us to do." _

_"That is where you are wrong, Sel. As I said, it is time I had a chat with Jack O'Neill. Past time, actually. Someone needs to kick him in the ass, and it may as well be us." _

Selmak chortled._ "If you say so, Jacob, but I do not think it will benefit either us or Samantha in any way." _

_"Like they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained." _

Selmak sighed as he capitulated._ "As you wish, Jacob. Furthermore, as I stated before, I will stand by your side, or behind you, and give you all the support that I can, I assure you." _

Jacob nodded decisively. _"All right. Let's do this, Sel." _

Standing, Jacob Carter made his way to General Jack O'Neill's office. He knocked and heard Jack tell him to enter. Taking a deep breath, he did so.

"Morning , Jack."

"Jacob. You're out and about early today."

"Yeah, I am. Sel and I are returning to the Tok'Ra either today or tomorrow."

Jack O'Neill frowned. "Are you sure that's a wise move on your part, Jacob? Aren't you concerned that there may be others out there targeting you in order to break up the alliance again?"

Jacob shrugged. "It doesn't matter if there are. They need Selmak and I back there more than ever now. The voice of reason, so to speak; although I have to admit that Garshaw has always been on the side of the alliance, as have Ma'ashat and Per'sus. That is why it was such a shock to have the council so divided over the break-up of the alliance. That Thoran managed to bring that many of the younger symbiotes over to his side was appalling. We have to see it doesn't happen again, and that _all_ of the Tok'Ra understand the alliance, why we need it, and what it stands for."

He paused, staring at the floor for a moment, before looking back up at Jack. "That is not why I am here, though, Jack. I am here on a personal matter. Something I think should be brought out into the open and taken care of before I leave to return to the tunnels."

Jack frowned harder, if that was possible. He had no idea what _personal matter_ Jacob could want to talk to him about, but he was pretty darn sure he was not going to like it. However, if there was one thing that Jack O'Neill did not lack it was courage. He nodded. "In that case, have a seat, Jacob, and tell me what I can do for you."

Jacob nodded once, briefly, and sat down. Folding his hands in his lap, he held one hand with his other, to keep them from distracting Jack's attention, he told himself, but he did not believe it. Moreover, truth to tell, if worse came to worst, then Selmak would take over and keep him from doing anything stupid. Alternatively, Jack would take everything well, and he would not do anything stupid. He hoped.

Moving his eyes from the point on the far wall he was now staring at, he brought them to look directly into Jack's, before saying quietly, "I want you to leave my daughter alone, Jack. You have no business thinking about her in any way, other than a friend and comrade in arms. You are her commanding officer, direct chain of command."

He continued, his voice firm and steady, "You have had more than enough chances when you could have changed your position, moved her to another team, retired, done any number of things, if you were serious about her. Let her go, and make it clear to her that you do not love her. It is time both of you moved on and got over your little infatuation. Your flirting has come close to the line, at times, and you have lucked out that someone did not bring you both up on charges of fraternization. Life is too short to live a lie, Jack, but that's what both of you are doing."

Still speaking in the same calm, quiet voice, he added, "I won't have my daughter's career ruined because you need a safely net, a heart-guard to get between you and any chance of a real, honest, emotional attachment. It is time you looked around you and allowed yourself to feel for another woman, but that woman won't be my daughter."

Jack's face flushed a crimson color before paling. "Where do you get off with these remarks, Jacob? Are you threatening me? Because you will find no evidence of fraternization. None."

Jacob shook his head, and sighed. "I get off making these remarks because she is my daughter, and I know she doesn't love you regardless what she may believe. I am not threatening you; I am telling you. You have led her on and allowed her to believe there is more to the looks and the remarks, the touches and the _team_ nights than is really there. I think she believes that you are waiting for her to decide to _do_ something with her career, to make a change so that you can be together."

"So far, her love of what she does has won out. It may not always do that, and then you are both going to be in for a rough time. Unfortunately, she is the one that will be hurt the most because she will have given up what she loves for nothing. Before that happens, I'm telling you, now, that I know there is nothing there, and all you are going to do is hurt her in the end."

Jack's lips thinned and his temper rose. "Those are lies, Jacob. You don't know how I feel about her. You don't know whether I'll retire for her or not. For all you know, I would retire and follow her anywhere she wants to go."

Jacob retaliated. "Come on, Jack, I know you are lying, if not to me and to her, then to yourself. Daniel and Teal'c are _always_ there, _always_ a buffer between you. You have never taken her for a weekend get away as you have the two of them, just the two of you. You can't because you don't want that fraternization label to hit you. Moreover, it would if you ever did that. It would hit her, too, though, and it would hit her a lot harder than it would you. Yeah, you might both end up being charged, but her career would be over; your career would be put on temporary hold and you know it. However, that is not the point. The point, no the truth, is that you use the frat rules as an excuse not to be with her one on one; you know that not only would it not work, but if you did spend time one on one, then you would have to admit that there were no deep feelings there, and you would lose your shield."

"Even when she is in the infirmary, and you are sitting with her, you never bring the chair to the edge of the bed like Daniel and Teal'c do. You don't want to be closer, because that might shine a light on your true feelings for her. You once said that you _care_ about Sam, _more than you are supposed to_. That was a true statement. You do care more than a commanding officer should. But then, you feel the same way about Daniel and Teal'c. That is the part you did _not_ tell her. Her answer was the same. She cares _more than she is supposed to_ as well, but she does _not_ love you. Not in the way that she cares about some other men in her life. You can't hide from it forever, Jack…and neither can she."

"You are wrong for her, Jack, and you know it. The sad thing is that, even though you know you are wrong for her, you are using her and the feelings she believes she has for you, to hide behind, so you will not have to find a real relationship. I have seen it in you for a long time. I think Sam knows it, too, but she sees you as a safe bet, too, so she can hide from the truth of her feelings, just as you can. Both of you need to do something. Preferably, something that will make both of you take a long hard look at the feelings you do _not_ have for each other in the bright light of day."

"The truth, Jack, is that you would make my little girl miserable, and she would drive you out of your mind. You have nothing—_absolutely nothing_—in common. She is meant to be with someone else. Not you."

Jack relaxed as he allowed Jacob's words to reverberate through him. He knew he was right, but he couldn't just agree to it. What was he going to do? He rubbed his face, saying tiredly, "Aren't you forgetting something, Jacob? Sam is engaged to marry Pete Shannahan. That should tell you that at least part of your rant is just that…a rant."

"I have seen my daughter when she is in love, Jack. She never admitted it aloud, and you probably never saw the way she looked at them, but she loved Martouf and Lantash. More than she will ever admit at this point, but it was there; I saw it. I saw it when they went missing, as well, and it was a very painful thing to see. No, she does not love Pete Shannahan and, in the end, I do not think she will marry him. On the other hand, she does not love you, either. There are only two men that I know of that Sam could marry and be happy. Neither of them are you or Pete."

Jack's eyebrows climbed toward his hairline. "So, you think you know your daughter so well you know who she loves before she does? Yeah, sure, you bet'cha."

"Yes, I do. If they were still alive, she would be with Martouf and Lantash today. Since they are not, I believe that Daniel could make her happy. Happier than you ever could, no matter how hard you tried."

"Just what is it that you believe is so wrong with me that she wouldn't be happy with me, Jacob?"

"Come on, Jack. Face reality. You can't even allow her to finish a sentence if it has any words longer than one syllable in it. You live and breathe the Simpsons, hockey, and beer. She has astrophysics in her blood. You are a very intelligent man, Jack, but you know, as well as I do, that you are not in her league, and she would be bored out of her skull in less than a week. Both Daniel and Martouf and Lantash could carry on a conversation with her, and both of them were, or in Daniel's case, are, physically attractive to her. Let her go, Jack. You can't live in the bedroom, much as you would like to pretend that you can."

Jacob watched as Jack flushed again. He could tell that what Jack really wanted to do was punch him out, but he also knew that Jack knew that he was telling the truth and making him face it, as well. It was time for him to let go and allow her to find her own place in the world again. It had been long enough.

How in the hell did Jacob know all of this stuff? How had he seen through Jack's camouflage to the very heart of him? Damn it, the man was right. He loved Carter, not Sam, or Samantha. He loved Carter as a sister, maybe even a daughter; certainly, he was proud of her, as a mentor was a protégée. But, he didn't love her in the way a man was supposed to love a woman. Jacob was right about the other stuff, too. He and Carter had nothing in common other than a somewhat limited amount of physical attractiveness to one another, and they were soldiers. That was it. Game Over.

He sighed and nodded, but put up one last fight. "That is fine and dandy, and maybe you can convince me, but I doubt you will be able to convince Carter. She thinks she loves this Pete guy. What is more, if she doesn't, then she would probably be wasting her time thinking she loves me. So, where does that leave us, Jacob? What now? You only have one half convinced, and you know how stubborn she can be."

"Yup, I know. I also know that she can see logic and reason. She may have to think about what I will tell her, but in the end, she will see it, and I think she will feel fine with it. Not everything is instant, you know. It might take a while, but she will see it, especially if you distance yourself from her."

"I guess you're right, and it won't hurt to try anyway." He might know Jacob was right; he didn't have to like it.

The klaxons began blaring an off-world activation. Jack frowned, scowling in the direction of the control room, as he came to his feet. "We don't have any teams off-world today," he murmured, as he began his sprint to the control room. He arrived in time to see Chief Harriman's hand open the iris.

"It was a Tok'Ra IDC, sir, but it was a really old one. I, uh, well, since no one was here to tell me, I ordered the SF's in and took the chance and opened it. It was, well, it was the one we used when Martouf and Lantash went missing," he stated quietly.

Jack nodded as he looked down at him. "I'd probably have made the same call, Chief. An old Tok'Ra IDC, especially that one, I would have opened, too."

"Yes, sir, er, sir," he whispered as he stared out the control room window. The shock on his face was plain to read.

Jack jerked his head up from where he had been watching the Chief, to look out the window himself, as he heard Jacob exclaim, "Oh, dear God. We did leave him behind. As he left the control room at a run, he called back over his shoulder, "Chief, get Colonel Carter to the gate room a.s.a.p." Martouf stood on the ramp, swaying slightly, obviously barely remaining upright.

His head bowed and when he lifted it, the tones of the Tok'Ra could be heard. "Would you mind calling off your guards, Colonel O'Neill? I cannot remain standing for very much longer, I am afraid."

Jack's "Stand down," reached them as Jacob pushed his way through and caught the man in his arms as they collapsed. "We need a medic to the gate room," was the last thing Lantash and Martouf heard before they became unconscious.

Selmak embraced Jacob and tried to sooth him, but he could not. This was a nightmare. The man had been missing for a long time. That it was Lantash and Martouf; they had no doubt, although they were sure the Tau'ri would want to verify that.

Jacob wondered if they had even bothered to try to find the Tok'Ra, or if they had simply come to the one place they knew would not have moved. He would bet on the second scenario. Looking down at the very thin, obviously mal-nourished, and dehydrated man, Jacob wondered what Sam would have to say, and how this would this affect her relationship with Pete? He was fairly sure that was a foregone conclusion, and she would terminate her relationship to Pete. He did not doubt that for a second.

What was more important, though, was how she would react to the fact that Martouf and Lantash were, indeed, as she had insisted for so very long, still alive. Alive. They should have listened to Sam. God, he wanted to kill Thoran all over again. If it had not been for him, they very well might have listened to Sam and gone after them.

As she knelt beside him, Jacob looked up into the blue eyes of his daughter. She reached out a trembling hand and caressed Martouf's face as she shifted her gaze from her father to Martouf and Lantash. She took in his physical condition in one comprehensive sweep of her eyes. Her jaw firmed and her eyes flashed with anger.

_"She has every right to feel anger, Jacob, and we are both very aware of that fact,"_ Selmak assured him that he understood both his and Samantha's feelings about the situation. It would be a very long time before Jacob and Samantha would be capable of being civil to the council members that had vetoed going after them. He did not blame either of them for their rancor; in fact, he shared their feelings, and as he had heard Jacob say, it would be a cold day in hell, before he allowed any of them to have a final say in anything. He was the eldest and most respected of the Tok'Ra still, regardless what Delek said. His losing favor was a figment of Delek's imagination, his wishful thinking, or a delusion he was living under, he was not sure which. It did not matter; it was perhaps time he began to "throw his weight around", as Jacob would say. In fact, there were two or three symbiotes who might find that they were no longer council members after this.

She stood to make room for the medics as her father released them as well. This would finish a problem she was having recently. More and more she had begun to believe that her feelings for Pete were not as strong as they should be. She had almost convinced herself that she was in love with General O'Neill instead. Now, she knew for a fact that she was wrong about her feelings for both of them. She did not love either of them the way a woman should love the man she marries.

Following the gurney as it raced toward the medical bays, she faced what she had known all along. Something she had forgotten, or perhaps buried, long ago. The man she loved was there in front of her, but he might never know her true feelings. All she could do was wait for them to wake up. Now that they were back, whether they made it or not, it was time to stop hiding from the truth. She knew now that it was Martouf and Lantash that she loved. There was no turning back. A small smile played around her lips. At last, she knew exactly where she wanted and needed to be.

* * *

Martouf and Lantash slept for two days, while they were cared for and cosseted by the nursing staff. Janet assured her that they truly were sleeping; they were not actually unconscious, now, although they had slipped into unconsciousness when they first arrived at the SGC. Sam seldom left their side and when she was not there, Jacob and Selmak were. Only once did she leave the SGC, and that was to explain to Pete why she was breaking their engagement. He was not happy about it, but he was not completely surprised. They parted ways and, if it was not exactly amicably, neither was it in a viciously hostile manner.

When Martouf and Lantash finally opened their eyes, their Samantha was the first thing they saw. Her blue eyes were shining with unshed tears, and her lips curved in a tremulous smile. She was holding their hand.

"Samantha?" Their voice was raspy and their lips were dry.

She gave them some ice chips and then a sip of water, as she told them, "I am here." She looked at them steadily as she continued, "I hope you will want me to always be beside you."

"It is what we have wished for since the day we met, Samantha. Your face was the one thing that kept us from giving up and dying. You are the reason we survived. We swore that if we lived and managed to return that we would tell you how much you mean to us, how very much we love you."

The tears slipped over the edge and made their way down her face. "I love you, too. Both of you. When you disappeared, we were working on our relationship. Your disappearance made me realize just how very much you both mean to me. I am never letting you go. Before your last mission, you asked me to be your mate, and I asked for time. Well, I had way more time than I needed. If you still want it, then my answer is yes. No more separate missions. I don't think I could survive another separation like this. I know I could not survive if anything happened to you again."

Martouf smiled as he listened to Lantash. _"Tell her at once that she is ours. Never again will we willingly leave her side." _

Looking at her with love in his eyes as he gently pulled her towards them, he said softly, "Lantash has requested that I make our feelings and intentions clear to you once and for all time. Never again will we willingly leave your side, our Samantha. We love you more than our own life. Forever."

As their lips met to begin a soft sweet kiss that was long overdue, Sam whispered softly in return, "You are both mine. I will never let you go again. I love you both. Forever."

The End


	3. Forks in the Road Story III

**_Story Summary_**_ - While on a mission to alternate realities, Sam finds much more than she was expecting. Not only does she find out what they must do to defeat the Ori, she also finds **many **parts of her past alive, well, and willing to relocate. _

**_Characters: _**_Jack, Daniel, Vala, General Landry, General O'Neill, Sam, Jacob/Selmak, Martouf/Lantash, Janet, Egeria_

**_Pairing: _**_Sam/Martouf/Lantash_

**_Rating: _**_PG_

* * *

_**Reality Series – Story III**_

_**Forks in the Road**_

* * *

Colonel Samantha Carter looked into another camera in another SGC and explained to another General Hammond why she was here. What her reality had decided they needed to find out. She also gave them the antidote to the plague spread by the Priors…just in case they needed it. Many did. Many had never heard of the priors. They were still fighting the Goa'uld. Whenever she needed to and could, she explained about the download of the ancients and Colonel O'Neill's trip to Othalla. It was an important turning point, an important fork in the road.

After several hundred realities, she pretty much knew what to tell them. It took her only minutes to come to her decisions based on what they told her about their worlds. A definite pattern had emerged.

Now, after well over five hundred alternate realities, she was sure her hypotheses were correct and she did what she could to help their alternate selves. Some were beyond anything she could do, and would have to find some other way to save themselves, others would take a lot of difficult work to save, and some were well on their way to being saved. Some had already saved themselves…and they were the ones from which she had gained the most important knowledge. They had already taken the correct forks in the road. Now all their own reality had to do was follow, if they could. She was doing her best to assemble exactly what they were going to need, plus a few extras.

Each reality was different, of course, some widely, some not so far from their reality. She smiled tiredly at the General before her. She had not realized how hard this would be on her. Being in reality after reality where her counter-part was alive had taken a toll on her physically.

Of course, it helped that she always returned to her own reality and left from there. At least, she had done so until recently. Now, she always returned to one of the many, many alternates, first, then onto her own.

Still, it almost felt as if she was leaving a shadow of herself in each of the realities she visited. Some of them she was glad to do it, others not so much.

The ones without General Hammond from the beginning were the most at risk as far as she was concerned, and she felt as if she lost more of herself in them. Not only did they tend not to believe her, they were the ones she had come the closest to being trapped in. Taking a chance on being held in one of those had helped her make her decision. This was the last alternate reality she was going to visit. She had the information they needed, she had helped many alternate realities avoid total destruction, and now…she was going home.

"So, Colonel Carter, it appears we are far behind you in our timeline of events."

"Yes, sir, that is true; however, consider yourself lucky. At least, you not only know what you need to protect earth, you also know what you have to do to avert disaster. You are ahead of many of the realities I have visited. You only have a few people you need to contact. I have been to some, where the program is very new, and they did not even know what the mirror was. Then in some, well, some of the key people were already dead. I am afraid I could not do much for them, but I did do what I could."

She shuddered. "I have had to "prove" what the mirror does in some realities, and I am lucky I have not been jailed in some." She smiled wryly. "I believe that you are the last I am going to visit. I think I have a very good overview as to what we need to keep Earth safe. Luckily, there appears to be more than one road to safety; it is just that some appear easier to navigate than the other ones do. And, of course, we don't know what will happen to those "safe" realities, either. There is always the possibility that some of them will fall to either the Goa'uld or the Ori, if they take or make a wrong choice at some point. All I can do is hope that I have made enough of a difference to avert the more readily discernable disasters that are waiting to happen in some of them."

General Hammond nodded. "We must hope so, Colonel. We also thank you for your information." He looked at the disk she had shown him and then copied for them to use as a roadmap of sorts. All they needed to do was find Dr. Jackson. The sooner the better. Their Sam Carter, for the moment anyway, did not particularly care for Colonel O'Neill, which, from what he could tell, was a very good thing. They had to stop that from happening and the one way she had seen to do it, if she was not in the military, was to ensure that she met Dr. Daniel Jackson. So be it. He did not care if they had to abduct the man, he would work at the mountain. His other option was death at the hands of the Goa'uld. The General did not think he would put up too much of a fuss once he met Sam Carter and learned what fate would soon be throwing at them.

Sam stood and saluted before turning to the mirror. One last smile and she placed her hand on it. She, no, they, were going home.

* * *

Emerging on the other side, she was met and greeted with smiles and hugs. The man standing beside her sent a short salute and a smile through to his old friend, George Hammond, but then he turned to hug his daughter. "You ready to go to your home reality now, Sam?"

"Yes, I think so, Dad. This entire mission is based on my determination of what I do or do not need to do. Everything, from which reality to pick, to when to return permanently, was put into my hands, so all we have to do now is find my reality, and we know where it is on the dial, so let's go. There is going to be a very long debriefing when we return, so we might as well get going.

Jacob Carter nodded his agreement and handed the control to his daughter. She swiftly turned the dial to the point she had determined long ago was her reality. Reaching out they each placed their hands on the mirror and transported into a room that was completely empty except for the mirror and a picture of Martouf/Lantash. She was home.

Walking to the nearest wall, she pressed a button and spoke into the speaker, "General Landry, I have returned permanently. Mission accomplished as well as it can be. I don't believe there is anymore I can learn out there at this point and the risks are beginning to outweigh the advantages to be gained."

Even though she could not see it, General Landry nodded his head, "This was your mission, your call, Colonel Carter. If you believe you have learned all you can, or that to continue would put you at too much risk, then I believe you are correct to call a halt to it. Report to the infirmary and from there to debriefing."

"Ah, yes, General, about that. I have brought a few people home with me; a few people that I have, er, sort of met along the way."

"Colonel? Is this a good idea?"

"Yes, I believe it is very much so, General. From the Intel I have managed to gather, we need them here. At least, we need some of them. In fact, I would say their presence, while not imperative to Earth's continued freedom in this reality, will perhaps tip the balance a little more in our direction."

"I see. Well, Colonel, take them and go to the infirmary. I will inform your team that you have ended the mission, and reported back safely. I will meet you there. Once you, and I assume "they", are cleared, we will get down to business," General Landry stated briskly.

"Yes, sir. If you will check the security camera, you will see who I have with me. You may or may not recognize them, but I assure you they are legitimate allies of Earth."

"Very well, Colonel. I will join you shortly. There is someone extra here today, as well, and they will be with me."

"Yes, sir. I will look forward to it. Tell General O'Neill I said hello, sir."

"Carter, how'd you know it was me?" Jack groused.

"It seemed logical, sir."

"Right. See you shortly."

* * *

General Landry and General O'Neill walked swiftly down the hall toward the infirmary. They hoped Sam Carter had come up with a workable scenario for Earth. Every day brought them closer to destruction by the Ori. He wondered who she brought back with her to help. They did not bother checking the security camera. Stepping into the infirmary, General's Landry and O'Neill stopped, nonplused.

Jack finally burst into speech, "Jeez, Carter, of all the people you could have brought back with you, you brought dead Tok'Ra?"

"Not so dead Tok'Ra, Jack. How you doin'? Jacob Carter grinned at him.

Jack glowered at Martouf and Lantash. "I was better until a bit ago. It's not that I am not happy to see you, Jacob. I mean, I can understand Carter bringing her father back, but…" His voice trailed off before he put his foot any farther down his throat. A change in topic would be good. "Who is the, er, lady?" He asked, to hide his embarrassment. He had yet to spot the one sitting behind her.

"This is Egeria/Kairen, Jack. I understand that in this reality, she did not make it. In ours, she did, but we did not know it until about a year ago. By then, all we could do was rescue her, help her to find suitable waters for her to spawn in, and high tail it back to Earth, which is pretty much the only home Martouf, Lantash, Selmak and I have known for several years, now. She left her children behind on a few worlds, and in a few years they will be able to blend and help out their Tau'ri allies, what few there are left, that is."

"What few there are left?"

"Yes, sir. I think we will probably cover that in the briefing."

General Landry nodded his agreement. "There is no point in going over it more than once. Your team should be back soon." Turing to Dr. Lam, he asked, "Any problems?"

"No there are none that I found, although the blood work is not back, yet. If anything turns up, I will let you know."

The other woman chose that point to step out from behind Egeria. Jack's jaw dropped. "Janet?"

"Yes, sir. I decided to come. There really was not much I could do on my world. They destroyed just about everything on my Earth. Sam actually found me just after the Jaffa left me for dead. She got me through the mirror and then to an abandoned Goa'uld world where there was a sarcophagus. I would not have made it otherwise. So, there was nothing left for me in my reality. Nothing at all, so, well, here I am."

Dr. Lam returned from a phone call, saying, "They are cleared for now, sir. They can go shower and, er, change, if they want to."

General Landry nodded. Some of their clothes had seen better days, of that there was little doubt.

* * *

It did not take the five of them long to shower and don clean clothes. The women showered first, and then waited on the two men. Sam frowned. She was really tired, but she no longer felt as if her body was trying to melt. It had not taken her long to realize she would have to return to her own reality fairly often so that her body could settle down. It had made the entire mission longer, but she had stayed healthier. She was glad it was over.

They entered the briefing room together and Sam watched Vala's eyes light up as her gaze settled on Martouf. She grinned at her, before saying, "Not this one, Vala. This is Martouf and Lantash and they have a sign on them. It reads, _Property of Colonel Samantha Carter_. Sorry."

Vala laughed. "Understood and accepted." The two women, as unlikely as it seemed, had become friends, and as soon as she heard his name, Vala understood. This man belonged to Sam, no questions asked.

After Sam made the introductions, General Landry began the briefing. "Well, Colonel, it has been several months now. Not much has occurred here, while you were away, although we think we may be closer to finding Merlin's weapon. What do you have for us?"

Sam nodded. "We now know where the weapon is, and how to get to it. A few of the SG teams in the other realities have already found it and used it. It works, but Adria may or may not be a problem, depending, of course, on the decisions we make as we go to get it. I think you will all find the information I have gathered and printed out interesting."

General O'Neill nodded. "We're all ears, Carter, so let's hear it. I assume that your Intel led you to believe we needed Jacob, Martouf, and, er, Egeria?"

"There were very few realities that had already defeated the Ori with minimal casualties, General," Sam stated quietly. "Of those that did, all except two had both Martouf and Lantash and Jacob and Selmak as members of SG-1. In the other two, one had Martouf and Lantash; the other had Selmak and Dad. In fact, in all of the realities that beat the Ori, SG-1 was a much larger team, often with as many as eight or nine members."

She continued, "Since they were often working on more than one avenue of discovery at the same time, it made sense that we could be split into two or more smaller units, but because we worked so well together, it was decided that we would all be on SG-1. The presidents in each affected reality absolutely refused to break up his, er, or her, "most capable" SG team. There were a few that did not like it and muttered about fraternization, but we were not broken up. Cam and I were co-leaders, and we did save the world that one last time."

"Understood, Colonel. Now, how about you start at the beginning."

Sam nodded, saying, "Yes, sir, I would be happy to. As you know, my mission was to visit as many alternate realities as I could and find out anything that might help us. As I have just said, there were not many that had already taken out the Ori, but there were a few. I am quite sure that had I continued looking there would have been more; however, Janet and I both felt that my body, even though I returned here and waited for everything to "settle" was beginning to show the signs of the stress it was under on a molecular level. We believe that the constant contact with my other selves was beginning to have a cumulative effect."

There were days when I visited up to three or four realities. I visited over five hundred realities in just a few months. In order for me to accomplish that, I had to visit as many as possible in as short a time as possible. Janet and I discussed it, and we decided that I would draw my hypotheses from the data I already gathered. Between almost being arrested in some realities, and the stress of meeting so many duplicates of myself, it was just getting to be too stressful on my body for me to continue. The risks became greater than what I would gain as I believe I have a very comprehensive overview of what does and what does not work."

She opened the files on her laptop and said, "The files in front of you contain this same data, if you want to follow along."

She waited until the files were opened and then continued, "After analyzing all of the realities that defeated the major threats to Earth, that being the Goa'uld, the Ashen, the foothold aliens, the replicators, the rogue N.I.D., the Trust, and the Ori, I came up with some very startling facts."

"In every unconquered reality, there appeared to be some major contributing factors. In each of those realities, I joined the military, and both Daniel and Teal'c joined SG1. In none of the unconquered realities did I become involved with General O'Neill in any way outside of the friendship type of love he and I have always felt for each other and for each of our teammates."

"I will state for the record, here, that there was never a, I guess you would say, romantic, relationship between us. Contrary to popular belief," she said somewhat sardonically, "there has never been anything other than a friendship type of relationship between us in this reality; regardless what anyone _thought_ was said during the za'tarc incident. "Caring" for a teammate "more than we should", did not, then or now, mean a romantic feeling; we were simply closer than teammates are usually allowed to become and remain on the same team. It was recognized, even then, that it was the unique bonds between us that kept us together and safe, nothing more."

"However, to return to what we were discussing. We also found that in instances where Daniel did join the program, but I was not military, I often married him, not Colonel O'Neill, and those realities also defeated the Goa'uld, although some of them still had to contend with attacks on Earth and more casualties. Still, those realities did better than some of the others in avoiding, or lessening, those attacks. Also, in most of those realities, the ones where I married Daniel, that is, Martouf was a za'tarc and died. There were also a few of the more successful realities where he was a za'tarc, but through a combined effort between Janet, at least one other of our surgeons, and the Tok'Ra and their healing devices, he did not die. In those realities, I did not marry Daniel, even though I was not military. I married Martouf and Lantash, instead."

"Another factor that seemed to weigh in on the degree of damage Earth ended up enduring, was that the Tok'Ra-Tau'ri alliance did not end as ours did, nor did Selmak, and therefore Jacob, die of _old age_. It was discovered that he was being poisoned, and the traitor was caught. Malek, Lantash, Janet, and Anise, or in some instances just Malek, Janet, and Anise, worked together to find the antidote, as well as the traitor. Therefore, those things affected how hard it was for Earth to remain unconquered. There were also a few realities that remained free and intact that did not discover his poisoning and the traitor, either. Most of those did come under a certain amount of destruction at one point or another."

"In other words, in the realities where the discoveries were made, the paths to successfully defending against the numerous enemies we have encountered, as well as the Goa'uld and the Ori were not completely dependent on that particular circumstance, the circumstance of the alliance. We can still win, even though our alliance was broken. I believe that we may well be able to put a new alliance into effect, though, once these things come to light, and Egeria is returned to the Tok'Ra. We know who the traitor was, so that would be a huge benefit to the Tok'Ra, too. It might still make our way a little easier, even though the original forks taken were the wrong ones."

She paused after looking around the table, "The opposite of these things proved to be true, as well. If I did not join the military, but I became engaged to or married Colonel O'Neill, then that reality either fell completely, or was decimated by the Goa'uld. Many of those realities used the mirror and found another reality that could help them, so quite a few of them survived, but in each case Earth was well on its way to being destroyed by the time the Asgard arrived to help. Two other major points in those realities seemed to be that Daniel did not join the program, and Teal'c never left Apophis. It seemed that those two facts, when put together were almost always a road to destruction."

She paused looking around the table. "As you can see, there was one scenario that came up again and again in the successful realities. I was military. Daniel was a member of SG-1, Teal'c was a member of SG-1. Dad was either not poisoned, or was healed. There was one other point within the most successful realities; Martouf and Lantash did not die, and we were married. Egeria was viable in some of them, and Janet did not die in any of the most successful realities."

Jack waved his hand toward Martouf, Jacob, Janet, and Egeria. "Why did they leave viable realities to come here to one that is on the brink of destruction? Why would Martouf and Lantash leave your other self, Carter?" He groaned, "Tell me. Tell me you do not die."

Sam shook her head. "No, General, I do not die. They did not leave me, General. They are from a non-viable reality. A reality that is under Goa'uld control. It was a reality where I married you, and the Tok'Ra were all but wiped out. It was the same scenario I saw over and over again, but in that one, they were alive and well. I do not know if they were still alive in the others that were like that, but if they were, then I did not meet up with them. Other than the one reality, the one they came from, I only saw them in the realities where I was married to them."

"We chose to come here, Jack, because our reality was pretty much under Goa'uld control and our people, meaning the Tok'Ra, were destroyed, even if the Tau'ri themselves weren't yet. When we heard what Sam had discovered, it made sense to come back with her and help you in exchange for a viable reality."

Lantash came forward and smiled wryly, "Martouf and I came to help, as well, but in all honesty, our main reason was to be with Samantha. We have always loved her. Here, we have a chance to be with her."

Egeria bowed her head, acknowledging them all, before saying quietly, "The—reality—where Martouf, Lantash, Selmak and Jacob found me, and Samantha found us, was all but destroyed by the Goa'uld. I left many thousands of my children on worlds within that reality, along with some Tau'ri guardians to watch over them until they can attain adulthood and become viable fighters. I also left them a queen, something I intend to do here as well in case something happens to me. I am still healthy and strong, since they found me in stasis, so I can still bear many young. My race here, in this reality, does not have to die out as it is doing."

Janet gave a brief answer next, saying, "I believe I mentioned earlier, that Sam found me and took me to another reality to be healed. Without her, I would not be here, either. Since I remained alive in the most viable of the realities, it made sense to go to one where I might make a difference. That is why I came. I had nothing left to stay for, anyway. They were all dead." Grief clouded her features, reminding those listening that these people had lost most, if not all, of their friends and families. It was a sobering thought.

"That is pretty amazing, Sam," Daniel said quietly. "Do you think you tested enough realities to be fairly sure you are right about these things?" He was staring at the figures and the graphs she had made up. He shook his head, even though he asked the question, as he realized that she was correct. There were several hundred realities and they sorted out exactly as she had stated. She and Jack O'Neill together as a romantic mated couple were pretty much a sentence of doom to a reality.

"No doubt, there are other variables, Daniel, but these seemed to be the ones that jumped out at you as soon as you started comparing the realities."

He nodded. There was no doubt about that once you really looked at it.

Jack shut the folder and frowned. "So, you what, decided that you needed to simply bring Martouf and Lantash back, and it would guarantee the destruction of the Ori?"

Daniel snorted. "Good grief, Jack. It is not that simple, and I am quite sure that Sam is aware of that. One mistake is all it will take for us to end up destroyed."

"Daniel is right, sir. I am very much aware that their presence does not give us an automatic win. However, it is a second chance for me to have them in my life again, and as selfish as it might seem to some, I want that chance. There has not been a day go by that I have not missed them, General. I do not plan on allowing this opportunity to pass me by."

General Landry nodded. "I can understand that, Colonel Carter, and we will not ask you to. While it is true that their presence, General Carter's presence, and Dr. Fraiser's presence will not allow us an automatic winning of the war, it might put us one-step closer, for all we know, and I have no problem with stacking the deck in our favor in any way we can. I, for one, hope it works out for you."

Sam smiled at him. "All I can tell you is that I was very happy in those other realities, whether with Daniel or Martouf and Lantash, and I have no doubt that I will be in this one, too. Furthermore, since you do feel that way, sir, would you marry us? We have already joined by the Tok'Ra joining ritual, but we would also like to be married."

"I would be delighted. Any particular time you would like to do this?"

Sam turned to look at Martouf, a question in her eyes. Turing back to the General he said, in his quiet way, "The sooner the better, General. We will be ready whenever you are."

"Then I will get the forms and while I do that we will all take a short break. Fifteen minutes sound all right to all of you?"

At the murmurs of assent, he nodded and left the room, but Jack turned to Sam and pulled her to one side. "Don't you think you're rushing things, Carter?" Jack asked. To him it seemed as if they had only met. They had not seen one another in several years except for one day not long ago when many SG-1 teams from many different realities had made their home in this reality for a while.

"No, sir, I don't. We have spent the last several months together, getting to know each other, and as I said, we have already joined by the Tok'Ra ritual. This is just another way to feel closer to each other." She grinned at him, "Lantash wants to do it so that Dad will stop grumping and throwing him dirty looks when we go off alone together."

Looking closely at his former 2IC, he gave in and smiled. Nodding his head, he clapped his hands together and asked, "So, is this going to be a big affair, or is it just a private little ceremony?"

"Anyone that wants to attend is welcome to, sir, but we are not doing the dress and flowers bit, if that is what you mean."

"Yup, that is exactly what I mean." He frowned. "Why _aren't_ you doing the whole thing? Is there some problem of which I'm not aware?"

Sam shook her head at him, saying, "No, General, there are no problems. That said, now that we know where to go to retrieve the weapon, we feel we should go a.s.a.p. That is what we need to cover next when we all get back to the briefing room. A lot will depend on Daniel, I am afraid, but we can do it. The others did it. We have details from several different realities that succeeded, and while they are each a little different, they all have the same basics. As for the ceremony, we want to be married before we go, that is all."

"All right, Carter, as long as you're sure this is what you want."

"More than anything I have wanted for a very long time."

Realizing that the others had all left the briefing room, Jack smiled at her, before saying quietly, "In that case, Carter, I wish you every happiness."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."

"No, problem, Carter, no problem at all." Sensing his sadness, Sam continued softly, "It would never have worked, General. We both know that. All there ever was between us was some sexual tension that eventually turned into a comfortable friendship."

Jack let out a breath he did not know he had been holding, before he smiled a real smile at her, this time. "I know, but I wasn't sure you did."

Sam laughed lightly, "Yes, sir, for quite a while now." She sobered, saying, "I do love them. I always have; I just did not always know it. Seeing them again recently…well, let's just say that I have been living with a lot of regret, and I don't plan on living with it any longer, not now that I have my second chance."

Jack nodded. "Well, then, let's go. The sooner we get this next mission out of the way, the faster you can go on a honeymoon."

"Yes, sir. That sounds like a plan to me." Sam smiled at him.

The impromptu wedding went well and was followed by a briefing that allowed Sam to tell them all she had found out about the steps they needed to take to defeat the Ori. It was decided that they would leave in the morning on what they hoped would be a successful mission that would bring about the fall of the Ori. The SGC waited.

* * *

Well, things could have been worse. They had defeated the Ori, as far as they knew, but there were still those Ori ships out there…and Adria. At any rate, there was nothing more they could do at the moment. President Hayes joined the SGC for a banquet, where he had dedicated a sculpture to the fallen heroes of the SGC, and handed out promotions to many of the SGC Staff.

Then, he had dedicated and presented a very special medal, one that would not be known about, possibly for many more years to come, but was none the less important for all that. Daniel Jackson had been awarded other medals and tributes by the office of the president; however, this one, a first of its kind, was to honor the man for his unfailing striving for the betterment of humankind and his tireless quest for alliances with, and understanding of, other species. It was for opening the Stargate to Earth, for dying for Earth, and most important of all, for living for Earth. He was a special man, and someday, the entire world would know it. For now, he should know that he had his country's and his countrymen's deepest thanks, as well as, those of their allies on Earth.

The members of the SGC were delighted. At long last, their favorite archaeologist received a special acknowledgement for everything he accomplished for Earth. He deserved it.

The president had enjoyed talking to him, too, but more than that, he had been thrilled to renew the alliance with the Tok'Ra, something brought about through the efforts of Daniel, Martouf, Lantash, Jacob, Selmak, and Egeria/Kairen. Per'sus, Garshaw, Malek, and Anise had also worked hard to reform the pact.

He fully intended to start to look for hosts as well. It had not been done seriously before. It would be now. There were more than enough people on Earth. He imagined there would be many that would jump at the chance to become Tok'Ra. In fact, he would seriously consider it for himself and his wife…after his term/terms in office were over. His wife would be enthralled, almost as much so as he was. Yes, in this president, science fact had met up with science fiction and come out a winner.

* * *

The evening ended and they were alone at last, in their own quarters on base. It had been deemed too dangerous for Martouf and Lantash to live off base. They could go off-base, they could even travel around the country, but a permanent off base home was considered too dangerous. After giving it much thought, they had to agree. There were still rogue elements out there that would love to get their hands on a Tok'Ra to experiment on. Sam was not willing to accept the risk, and after finding their Samantha again, neither were Martouf and Lantash.

Therefore, they retired to bed, in their enlarged on base quarters. Not exactly spacious, but livable.

Pulling their Samantha into their arms, Lantash came forward. "We are very pleased that when the road showed you different paths, you chose the one you did, and it led you back to us, Samantha. We love you, still, so very much, after all this time. The feel of you in our arms, the touch of your lips on ours, these things bring our passion to the fore and can leave us breathless with our desire for you. Seeing the answering gleam, that flare of desire in your eyes…it all but brings us to our knees with wanting and loving you. Always, always loving you. We do not care if you only brought us back with you because it increases the odds that Earth will survive. We will do everything in our power to cause you to fall as deeply in love with us as we are with you."

Sam smiled at them and shook her head gently. "I love you, too. Both of you. I am very glad I decided to take on that mission. I almost did not, you know. I came very close to going with Cam on a trip instead and maybe trying the mission later. I am glad I decided the mission was more important and that I needed to complete it as soon as possible. There is a chance that if I had waited, you would not have been there the day I arrived. It is so very easy to overlook one road for another or to take the wrong fork, even if you are on the right road. I am so very glad that I took the right fork. Moreover, as for bringing you back because of the odds? Well, I did not run into the first reality with us as a couple until after I found you and we got together. So you see, my love is already deep and abiding. I promise you, both of you."

Martouf and Lantash looked down into the blue eyes of their mate with love shining from their eyes to hers. "As we promise you, our Samantha, as we promise you."

Sam reached over and turned off the light. "Perhaps we should show each other just how deep our love is."

"Mm."

No more words were heard for a very long time.

Fin.


End file.
